Attaching device for non-skid chains.



B. F. KNOBLOCH.

'ATTACHING DEVICE FOR NON-SKID CHAINS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2.11 I918.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

, 3 vWM 1 d M w m a e am reg F K220510015 l UNITED s V ABNEY F.KNOBLOOH, or rrr'rseoaen, PENNSYL'V 1 ATTACHING DEVICE F63, NQN-SKIDCHAINS.

To all whom my concern:

Be it known that I, BARNEYF. Kxosriocn, a citizen of the United States,

Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and v State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Attaching -Devices forNon-Skid Chains, following is a specification; reference being of whichthe V had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved fastening attachment for non-skidchains and hasfor its primaryobject to provide a simple, effective andreliable device adapted to" esecured to the telly can be easily andquickly connected or disconnected.

It is another object of the invention to provide an attachment for theabove purpose which'canbe'easily and quickly applied inoperativeposition upon the wheel felly, and the several parts of which are soconstructed and arranged that the attachment will be subjected to aminimum strain inthe tractive engagement of the tread chain with theroad surface.

It is also another important object of my invention to provide anattaching'means for non-skid chains which can be readily 'adjusted andrendered adaptable to wheel fellies of different widths. As a specificitem of improvement, I contemplate the provision in a device for theabove urpose, of an easily operable latch arm w ich is adapted to coactwith a part of the device to retain the chain in operative connectiontherewith, the latch arm being so located, that it is not liable to beaccidentally displaced from its effective position whereby the chainwill be released.

. And the invention attaching device for vehicle wheels, which isexceedingly simple in'its construction, very strong and durable andcapable of manufacture at comparatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in theimproved combination, construction and arrangement of the several artsas will be hereinafter more fully descri ed, subsequently claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views and wherein:

Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Application filed February a residing at of a vehicle wheel and to whichthe ends of the tread chain extending transversely across the wheel t realso has for a further plate in diameter as Figure 1 is a transversethrough the tire andfell v Patented Jan. 191th 1,1918. Serial No.218,585.

sectional view r of the vehicle 5 wheel illustrating one em odiment ofthe invention and showing a applied position on the wheel tire;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment; Fig. 3 is an end elevation;

Fig. 4: is a .view similar trating a slightly modified form of vice; and

Fig. '5 is an end elevation of the device shown in Fig 4.

Referring in detail to the. drawingand' more particularly to Figs. 1, 2and 3 thereof, 5 designates the body bar which is generally ofrectangular form in cross section and is provided upon one of itsendswith an in tegral cylindrical lug 6 projecting at right py angles fromone side face of the bar Z designates the integral attaching flange ontread chain in its to Fig. illuethe de the said end of the bar 5 whichprojects from the bar in anopposite direction with respect to the lug 6.This cylindrical lug 6 is further rovided at one side thereof with alongitudinally extending sto projection 8 the purpose of which will hecomeapparent.

The bar 5 at its other end is formed into a cylindrical threaded rod 9which is oil's set with relation to the plane of the body bar 5, asindicated at 10 and extends longitudinally in parallel relationtherewith. A second attaching plate 11, preferably, though notnecessarily of the form shown in Fig. 3 is provided upon one of its endswith a cylinreinafter bedrieal boss 12 projecting laterally from oneface of said plate and having a threaded bore to receive the threadedrod or extension 9 of the face of the plate 11,- a hook shaped laterfally projecting lug 13 is integrally formed, the bill of the toward thethrea ed rod 9. he 11 and the flange 7 are each provided with spacedopenings to receive suitable attaching'screws indicated at 14 wherebysaid.

be securely fixed to the bar 5. Upon the outer side hook extending inparallel general object, to provide a non-skid chain j zjgjelation tothe plane of the (plate lland ro-' jectlng mounted in an openingprovided in the body bar 5, the end face of this reduced portion of thepart 16 being hammered or swaged as shown at 18 whereby the latch arm ispermanently held /in operative connection with the body bar, The arm 15extends in parallel relation tothe bar. and on its other or free end'itsformed with a suitable finger piece 19 adjacent to one longitudinaledge of the arm. The other edge of said arm isnormally held yieldinglyin contact with the inner side face of the projection 8 by means of thecoil spring 20 which surrounds the vertical part 16 of the latch arm andhas one of its ends secured to said arm, the other end of the springbeing fixed in the bar 5.

In the use of the attachment, the body bar 5 extends transversely acrossthe inner face' of the wheel felly, and the flange 7 and plate ll aresecured to the side faces of the felly, as above stated. Thus the lug 6and the hook shaped lug 13 will project radially in an inward directionwith respect to the felly of the wheel. The'device may be readilyadjusted in accordance with the width of the wheel felly by axiallyturning the plate 11 upon the threaded rod 9. In

applying the attachment to wheels having a narrow felly, the projectedend portion of the rod 9 may be cut off by means of a metal saw. Inapplying the non-skid chain, one terminal link is engaged in the hookshaped lug 13 at the inner side of the wheel, and said chain shown at Cis then extended transversely across the tread of the wheel tire -T andthe free end of the latch arm is forced away from the projection 8 bypressing with the finger against the Web or flange 19. The otherterminal link of the chain is then engaged over the lug or ost 6 andupon the release of the arm, the spring 20 immediately returns the armto its normal position in engagement with the projection 8, therebypreventing the disconnection of the chain link from the lug 6 when thechain is slackened in the compression of the tire. In this form of myattachment, it is to he observed that the pull of the chain on the partof theattachment is largely in a radial direction, so that liability ofloosening the attaching screws is minimized and shearing disruption ofthe threads of the rod 9 is the same face of said bar as the lug 6. Thebody bar 5 of this construction is provided upon each of its ends withan integral attaching plate or flange 7 to'be secured to the side fadesof the wheel felly. In all other respects the device shown in Figs. 1and 5 is identical with that form of the invention illustrated in Figs.1, 2 and 3. The operation of this modified construction which is quitesimilar to the operation above described will be readily understood fromreference to Fig. 4: of the drawing. In the use of either form of theattachment. the tread chains. are provided with straight terminal links,while the intermediate links of the chain are twisted in the usualmanner of non-skid tire chains. The chains together with the attachmentsfor the vehicle wheels may be supplied by the manufacturer ofthemachine, and the wheels may be equipped with the attachments when themachine is shipped from the factory. However, it is also apparent myimproved chain attaching device can be separately marketed and sold bydealers in automobile accessories, and the device attached by theindividualpurchaser. The several transverse tread chains areindependently secured or held in their operative positions across thetread of the tire, and when any one chain breaks. it can be quicklyremoved without affecting the operation of the remaining chains. In eachform of the device, the spring held latch will effectively hold the"hain in connection with the attaching device. and as the latch arm isdisposed closely adjacent to the inner face of the wheel felly andindependently of the outer side face of the wheel, it is not liable tobe accidentally displaced, and the terminal link of the chain releasedfrom its engagement with the lug or post 6.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings the construction, manner' of operation and several advantagesof my invention will be clearly and fully understood. The device as awhole consists of relatively few parts which are of simple form and cantherefore be manufactured at nominal cost. The attachment is also verydurable and practical in use and not liable to get out oforder, and whenapplied to the wheel is inconspicuous and in no wise detracts from theappearance of the wheel. I have herein shown and described the form andarrangement ofthe several elements which I have found to be satisfactorin practical use, but it, is to be understood that for obvious reasonsit may 'be desirable'in some cases to make various mechanical changes inthe device. v I therefore reserve the privilege of adopting all suchvlegitimate alterations in the form, proportion and construction of theelements as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

I Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is 1. An attaching device for non-skid chainscomprising a body bar adapted to be secured upon the inner face of awheel felly, sa-id bar having lugs at its opposite ends and with.

which the terminal links of a tread chain -are adapted to berespectively engaged, and

a spring heldlatch element mounted upon thcbody bar and movable in aplane in parallel relation to the plane of said bar, said latch elementnormally coacting with one of the lugs.

2. An attaching device for non-skidehains comprising a body bar adaptedto be secured upon the inner face of a wheel felly, said bar having lugsat its oppositeends and with which the terminal links of a tread chainare adapted to be respectively engaged, a latch element having an armprovided with astud W on one end rotatably mounted in said bar,

and a. spring coac-ting with the latch element to yieldingly hold theother end of the arm normally in contact with one of said lugs.

3. An attaching device fornon-skid chains comprising a body bar adaptedto be secured upon the inner face of a wheel felly, said bar having lugsat its opposite ends extending at right angles to the body bar andradially of the wheel, said lugs being adapted to berespectivelyvengaged by the terminal links of a tread chain, and meanscarried by the body bar and movable in a plane parallel with the planeof said bar to normally coa ct with one of said lugs and retain thechain link in connection therewith.

4. An attaching device for non-skid chains comprising a body bar adaptedto be secured upon the inner face of a wheel felly, said bar said barand normally ooact-ing with the latter ing to retain the terminal linkof the tread chain in connection therewith.

5. An attaching device fornon-skid chains comprising a body bar adaptedto be secured to the inner face of a wheel felly, said bar having anangula-rly', ofi'set threaded end portion the other end of said barbeing one side face of the wheel v4:0 having lugs at itsopposite endsextending at formed with an inwardly projecting, ra-

dially disposed lug, a hook-shaped lug having a threaded connection atone'end to the threaded end of said bar and adapted to be adjustedthereon to engage against one side face of the wheel felly, said firstnamed lug and thehook-shaped lug being adapted to be res pjfctivelyengaged by the terminal links of the tread chain, and latch meansmounted on the body bar to coact with said first named lag and retainthe chain link in connect-ion therewith.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atfix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses, BARNEY F. KNOBLOCH.

Witnesses: y i HOWARD H. KNOBLOCH, -LEONARD H. ROM.

